Pedal for piano-players.



W. C. P. COLLIGNON.

PEDAL FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION min 155.7. 1914.

1,174,690. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

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W. C. P. COLLIGNGN.

PEDAL FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1914.

' Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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UNTTED sTATEs PATENT onirica.

WILLIAM C. 1P. COLLIGNON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 SCHILLER PIANO CO., 0F OREGON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PEDAL FOR PIANO-PLAYERS.

Application led February 7, 1914.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM C. I. CoL- LIGNoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cock, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedals for Piano-Players, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention r'elates to improvements in pedals for piano players and has for its object the production of a pedal of the character mentioned through the medium of which the bellows of a pneumatic piano player may be operated easily and with minimum exertion.

A further object is the production of a device as mentioned which will be of simple construction and eiiicient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a vertical transverse section of the base portion of a piano player equipped with a pedal embodying my invention, the pedal being shown in extended or operative position, Fig. Q is a view similar to Fig. l showing the pedal in inoperative position within the casing of the instrument, Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the pedal proper of the device depressed, and Fig. l is a section taken o n substantially line of Fig. 3.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a supporting frame substantially U-shaped in form the side members l of which are pivotally connected at their inner ends at 2 with brackets 3 rigidly secured within the instrument casing. The outer end of the supporting frame is provided with legs 4 adapted, which when the frame is extended or in operative position to rest on the floor in order to support the same, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The outer ends of side members 1 are connected by a cylindrical rod 5 upon which are swingingly or pivotally mounted the pedals proper 6 of the device. The free end of each of the pedals 6 is pivotally connected with one end of a bell crank lever 7 the fulcrum of which is pivot- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Serial No. 817,152.

ally connected with one end of a link 8, the opposite end of the latter being pivotally connected with the Corresponding frame member l. The opposite end of the bell crank lever 7 is operatively connected by means of a lever 9 with a bracket l0 secured centrally to the corresponding bellows l1 of the instrument. The arrangement is such, as will be seen that, upon depression or oscillation of the pedals G, the bellows 1l will be caused to expand or distend, collapse of the bellows and hence upward swinging of the pedals being effected by means of leaf springs ll which cooperate with the bellows, as will be readily understood. lVith the arrangement of the levers and links as set forth which connect the pedals with the bellows, considerable leverage is developed so that the pedals may be depressed to effect operation of the bellows with the expenditure of a minimum of energy. Also, operation is positive and the arrangement is neat and pleasing in design.

In order to permit of folding and unfolding of the device, the casing l2 of the instrument is provided at its front side with a door 13 which, when the device is in use, is swung upwardly and secured in open position as shown in Figs. l and 3. When the device is not in use, the same may be folded to position within the instrument casing resting against the bellows 11. By reason of the position of the pivotal points 2 which are spaced considerably forward of the bellows, when the device is in folded position, as shown in Fig. 2, the same will support itself in this position by gravity, it being unnecessary7 to employ additional means to fasten the same in inoperative position, and by locating the point of pivotal connection between link 9 and bracket 10 above point 2 the pedals are automatically folded by the act of folding the frame 1 upwardly to occupv little space.

Vhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention what I lVitnesses z HELEN F. LILLIs.

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The Combination with the bellows of a piano player, of a supporting frame pivotally mounted forward of said bellows; links pivoted in said frame; bell crank levers pivoted to the free ends of said links; pedals provided on said frame; a pivotal connection between one end of each of said bell cranks and the corresponding pedal; and a link pivotally connected with the other end Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

